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ABOUT US

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GK1 World Foundation doing business as  Gawad Kalinga USA (GK USA) is a lead mission partner of the Gawad Kalinga Community Development Foundation, Inc. (GKCDFI) in creating a sustainable template to end poverty.
 
Founded in 2009, GK USA is a duly registered 501c3 corporation working independently, but in conjunction with GKCDFI, a Philippine-based non-profit movement that aims to end poverty by building caring and sharing communities.  It employs an integrated and holistic approach with values formation and leadership development at its core.
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Gawad Kalinga translated in English means “to give care." Its approach to attacking poverty began with building a cluster of homes in communities. Residents go through a values formation program that focuses on restoring dignity and self-worth. GK raises funds to help the marginalized build permanent homes with the latter contributing their sweat equity. GK opens access to education, more secure employment or livelihood opportunities and health and well-being. 
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GK USA has contributed significantly to enable GK to build over 3,000 communities across the Philippines. Such presence has placed Gawad Kalinga in a position to know the lives of the poor intimately, and offer an effective, multi-faceted solution to poverty.

Local and international government agencies, other nonprofits, academic institutions, corporations and individuals are engaged to design and implement scalable interventions rolled out through its wide volunteer network and workers, and with the help of community members themselves.
 
These platforms focus on the multiple solutions to alleviate poverty: shelter and land security, health and well-being, child and youth development, family productivity, and community resilience. 
 
Programs include home-building and community development; an anti-hunger program currently feeding over 100,000 hungry children on school days; a school for social entrepreneurship as an education-based solution to rural development; community health interventions piloted and scaled with the help of local and international agencies, universities and volunteers.
 
Gawad Kalinga has been recognized by local and international organizations for its work, such as: Ramon Magsaysay Award (the Asian equivalent of Nobel Peace Prize), Skoll Foundation, Nikkei Asia Prizes and Conrad Hilton Humanitarian Award among others.
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Prospective volunteers, fundraisers, student interns and corporate donors can get involved by reaching out to us at contact@gk-usa.org and we will connect you to the Area Directors listed below. GK USA is also eligible for employee matching programs and grants from institutions who share our mission and vision.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

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FRANCIS DE LOS REYES III, PHD

Chairman

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CARLOS CAPATI, MD

Board Member

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JOSE RAFFINAN, JR., MD

Board Member

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MARICEL VILLANUEVA

Board Member

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MYLENE SUPAN- RIVAS

Board Member

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CAROL TULUD

Executive Director / President

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MARILYN BELLO

Board Member &

Chief Financial Officer

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JOSIE DISTERHOFT

Board Member, Fundraising

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JEFFREY HOPPE

Board Member

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FRANCIS MIRANDA

Board Member

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DONNA REYES

Board Member, Marketing & Communications

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CAROL TULUD

Executive Director / President

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MARIA MERCEDES AMANTE

Operations/Finance

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ELEANOR FIGUEROA

Finance

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ARMANDO AMANTE

Operations/ IT 

AREA DIRECTORS

NORTHEAST

Boston: Jose Belarmino

New York:  Carol Tulud

New Jersey: Carol Tulud

CAPITAL

Washington DC: Philip Ortiz

Virginia Hampton: Guia Caliwagan

Virginia Richmond: Rudy Bolipata

WEST PACIFIC

Los Angeles: Dulce Matias

Santa Clarita: Marilyn Bello

Orange County: Laarni Diamse

San Diego: Tina Balch

Sacramento: Teresita Poling

Antelope Valley: Carol Tulud

San Jose: Eleanor Figueroa

Riverside County: Tony Pascua

Washington State: Jinkee Braza

NORTH CENTRAL

Chicago: Leslie Tiquia

Missouri: Ranel Sarmiento

South Dakota: Jesus Gonzales

SOUTHEAST

Tampa : Roque Barrido

Miami: John Jarin ( AD Lead)

North Carolina: Irene Alivio

Alabama: Dolores Cook

SOUTH CENTRAL

Texas: Ceferino Amores

SOUTHWEST

Nevada: Louis Gosioco

Colorado : Sheila Deforest

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